There has been an onslaught of Turkish restaurants in Dubai, Turkish cuisine has taken Dubai by storm. I’ve visited at least four of them in past two weeks. No other Turkish restaurant left a lasting impression like Ruya. And I definitely believe Ruya is the best Turkish restaurant in Dubai currently.
Ruya, which translates as ‘dream’ in Turkish, opened recently in the plush Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai Marina. It is helmed by executive chef Colin Clague, who is one of the best culinary talents in the region. He has worked with some of the most esteemed names here like the renowned Burj Al Arab, Zuma, Qbara and Jean Georges Dubai.
Ruya is an expansive venue with a dining, lounge and bar area. It also offers a beautiful outdoor terrace area overlooking the Marina. The Anatolian influenced decor of Ruya is stunning. Elements of Anatolian inspiration can be seen everywhere from the exquisite mosaic tiles to beautiful handwoven carpets to tableware. If I had to use one word to describe the decor, it had to be Gorgeous!
I was invited last Sunday evening, by Monica of DoinDubai.com for a BME event with few other bloggers. It was an amazing evening with good food and wonderful company.
We started off our evening with some cocktails/mocktails. I tried their Anatolian Fizz (sparkling wine based cocktail) and Mad Honey (grapefruit, sumac, cherry, mint and honey based mocktail). The drinks not only looked great, tasted delicious and refreshing.
Though, I was the only vegetarian in the group, I had a good variety to choose from. Here are the vegetarian dishes that I tried at Ruya.
Starters
Crudités: Wide array of fresh veggies came in an ice laden clay pot along with tasty red pepper yogurt dip.
Finn Pancar: An absolute delight, featuring roasted baby beetroot, goats cheese and cornbread. My hardcore meat loving blogger friends, couldn’t resist this starter.
Mucver Zucchini Fritters: A delicious crisp Turkish fritter made of grated Zucchini, fennel and labneh.
Main Course
While my friends enjoyed the famous Cag Kebap, Adana Kebap and Whole grilled seabream, I tried these dishes.
Kuymac: It is a dish from Black Sea region of Turkey and very hard to find anywhere else. A mix of cornmeal, cheese fondue, wild mushrooms and truffle. It made my taste buds swoon!
2 Cheese Pide with slow cooked egg: I always order a cheese or a spinach Pide whenever I visit a Turkish restaurant. The Cheese Pide with slow cooked egg at Ruya is the best that I’ve had so far. Flatbread loaded with cheese and slow cooked egg was beyond amazing, don’t ever leave the restaurant without ordering this sinful bread.
Spoon Salad: The Spoon Salad was served with our main course. It had finely chopped veggies in a pomegranate dressing. This crunchy salad was a perfect blend of a sweet and sour mix.
Desserts
Watermelon and Lion’s Milk: Having traveled to Turkey, I’ve never tried this dessert there. This light and refreshingly different dessert had watermelon, raki ice pop, mint granita, rose jelly and herbs.
Selection of Turkish ice cream: We got to try many different flavors of Turkish ice creams from mixed berries to rose, pomegranate, cashews and chocolates. Each of the ice creams were different and indulgent.
A Turkish meal is incomplete without a steaming hot cup of Turkish coffee. I like to take my coffee black and very strong. And this coffee was just perfect.
Overall, I had a great experience. Ruya offers great food, impeccable service, glamorous setting and inviting atmosphere. A definite must-visit destination for all Turkish food fans.
For reservations call: 04 399 9123
Website: http://www.ruyadubai.com
BME by Monica Kapila of http://www.doindubai.com
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